The Team
by slvr-tgr99
Summary: Donovan and the team take down a rogue SWAT team and find a new member. Status Complete watch out for the next Valinda story UNSUB in LEather and Lace.
1. The Nest

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4 The Team  
  
Takes place after Zero Option, I don't Frank or any of the others they are the property of NBC and Shane Salerno (go Shane). All other original characters are mine. Sue if you want but all your gonna get is two pain in the butt dogs. Review please of sign the guest book critique needed. G.I. Jane mentioned I needed a precedent for a female SEAL , Take place after Moore's Character of O'Neil.  
  
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7 The Nest  
  
Monica was writing down last minute thoughts and observations; after staying late in the crib.  
  
She had spent most of the night studying and reviewing the latest surveillance photos for their latest case. She could her the low tapping of keys as Cody wrote new code for a computer surveillance program. Donovan was up in his office finishing the paperwork from their last case, the bank robbery and hostage situation with Colin Wilkes. Jake still had a little tenderness in his ribs after taking two sniper rounds in the chest. Jake and Alex were both out on a restock run; the fridge had gotten dangerously low on snacks and caffeine. She looked up as she heard the door creak open as Jake and Alex came through it with a bag full of groceries each.  
  
"How come I get the heavy bag, I'm the lady here?" Alex jibed at Jake.  
  
"Cause I'm the one recovering from being shot in the chest." Jake retorted.  
  
"Don't be such a baby, you had a vest on."  
  
"Yeah, yeah."  
  
"Hey people caffeine emergency here!" Cody called out "I can't be my usual brilliant self if I don't get an immediate transfusion." Cody said as rushed toward the crib.  
  
Monica cleared her files from the table just as Jake and Alex set the brown paper grocery bags down. They still had a few minutes before the briefing.  
  
Upstairs in his office Donovan finished dotting his I's and crossing his T's. He put his pen down, then steepled his fingers, He was not at all pleased with Jake's injury. It was an unforeseen event, Jake and Danny switching jackets. The shooting would not have happened had there been a steady HRT team or SWAT; one that knew what his team looked like on sight. What he needed was a dependable, competent team that he could trust to keep their mouths shut. Jake's cover had been blown, because the local SWAT had gossiped in front of Wilkes' woman; for that matter other federal agents had gossiped in front of the local SWAT. He made up his mind to convince his superiors of what he needed. At the moment it was time for the briefing on the team's next case; a SWAT team of all things gone rogue. He turned his wrist to check his watch. The silver watchband glimmered in the sunlight. The watch face read eleven fifty-eight, he had best get down stairs; he could hear Jake and Alex in the crib.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ ________ 


	2. The Briefing

The briefing  
  
  
  
Donovan walked silently down the stairs stopped and said "Good afternoon, Cody bring up the latest case file, we have been asked to look into A SWAT team that may have gone rogue. There have been several suspicious deaths including the death of a federal CI. We have been asked to go in and find the member of members that have gone over. Monica," said with a flourish as he relinquished the floor to her.  
  
"This team is tight and close knit like the C.S.C. cops. It is highly unlikely but is possible that the entire team has gone bad. We're looking at maybe two or three rotten apples. Now what makes this team so different is their current leader" she said clicking her slide remote.  
  
An image popped up, obviously a surveillance photo. The image was of a woman in SWAT fatigues stripping an MP-5.  
  
"Meet Valinda Alexandra Kilmann: six feet, 175, blue eyes, black hair. She is the current SWAT commander; what makes her special is the fact that she is a former navy SEAL. Valinda is smart, tough, and in training she blows all these guys away; takes no crap from anybody. She had a problem once with one of her team, they came to blows he left the team in disgrace no other team would have him after that incident. I don't see her as an assassin, not with her background. Her psyche profile suggests a profound sense of justice. She kills only when absolutely necessary, she hasn't had a single questionable shoot since she joined the force out 25 incidents."  
  
"Why did she leave the SEALS, they never quit without a fight or a damn good reason?" Donovan questioned.  
  
"According to the parts of the file that were not blacked out, she was honorable discharged after four years of service with an active team. She passed BUD/SEAL training with flying colors. According to the file she was going to be court-martialed, but was discharged instead. She probably cut a deal of some kind; I couldn't get any details." Monica clicked again and looked at each of her teammates. "This is Jack Kincaid and Marcus Cutler, she said as a picture of two men popped on screen. Kincaid is five- nine, one fifty and brown eyed and dark haired. Cutler is five-ten blonde haired and blue eyed. Both these men are adrenaline junkies, extreme sports, and mountain climbing, and skydiving, stuff like that. These two are like brothers, inseparable; their families even get together on the weekends. I like these two as our guys they break a few too many rules to get the job done." Monica clicked again and a new photo popped up this one with four men in it. "Meet Anthony "Pup" Mercer, Sean McClain, Caesar Villarreal, and James Joseph Butler, sometimes call "Wild Bill". Mercer is a crack shot an entry man, he got his nickname from cutler because he follows Kilmann around like a puppy, bit of a crush their I think. Mercer and Butler are both country boys from Nebraska and Texas. They both have white knight complexes to beat the band. Mercer grew up in a predominately female household. He won't go against Kilmann, but if I'm wrong and she is the one, he may go along with her. McClain is a real cowboy, hothead, so much so he got himself shot the last time they went out. I don't think it's him he has no contacts and he's too far outside the line to do this. Caesar Villarreal is a different story he and butler are the teams Snipers. Villarreal is in hock up to his eyeballs, got a little gambling problem. So that's the team now let me show your gold shield contacts, that's how I think their getting their contracts someone in the detective bureau maybe Major Crimes. This is Leon Weller," she said as she clicked the remote, the man in the resulting picture looked a bit a like a weasel. " And he is a weasel. He has 15 IA investigations in the last 2years, and he is very much in debt.' Monica gave a nod to Donovan as she gave the floor back to him.  
  
"So who's going in?" Jake asked, he had been fairly quiet this briefing ; he figured it would be himself or Alex, but he didn't think his ribs could take the pounding.  
  
"I am." Donovan said plainly, your ribs are still severely bruised and your ability to move quickly has been impaired. Alex I want you to go in as a detective, your target is Weller, get him to trust you so that he'll let you in on the contracts. All right let's get to work , Cody I want you to bug everyone involved with this, I want total coverage Audio and visual. In their homes, in their office, anywhere they frequent, I want to see them. He said with a hand on Cody's shoulder.  
  
"You got it boss man, you want me to bug their cereal too?" Cody wisecracked. Donovan just raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
_____________________________________________________________ 


	3. Frank's Audition

Auditions  
  
  
  
Frank rolled up to the training center, put the SUV in park, turned off the engine, and popped the door open. Let the show begin he thought as he exited the vehicle. He noticed a figure coming toward him out of the corner of his eye. He recognized Mercer from his picture, noticed Mercer also was moving in a fast walk, he was quick and quiet as he moved.  
  
"Hey, you must be Cowboy's replacement." He said as he came up to Donovan.  
  
"Cowboy?"  
  
"McClain, we call him that because well he's a cowboy. I saw you pull in , just thought I'd show you the way to the Captain and maybe give you the nickel tour. A man can get lost trying to get to her office, in middle of all this he said gesturing to several buildings some solid some not. We got ourselves a real little town here. Oh by the way I'm Mercer, Tony Mercer. He paused.  
  
"Frank Miller just transferred in from New York."  
  
" You're a bit a ways from home man."  
  
" Yeah, I needed a change figured this was as good a place as any. So what's the Captain like?"  
  
" Okay, if you don't have a problem working for a woman. Do you?"  
  
Mercer was direct; he was doing what a good subordinate does weeding out a potential problem before it started. Donovan considered that Kilmann had sent Mercer for this purpose; If Miller couldn't work with her because she was a woman she wanted to know it, and Mercer was going to find out for her.  
  
They walked thorough the maze of Building as they talked; Donovan taking careful note of the layout.  
  
"No I've heard good things about your Captain I look forward to meeting her. I heard a rumor she was a SEAL."  
  
"That's no rumor it's total fact, she was second or third test case after O'Neil. Speaking of which here she is," he said after they rounded the last corner.  
  
They came to a plain brown door, with a black name placard on it. The Placard said Capt. V. Kilmann. Mercer rapped on the door.  
  
"Enter." A contralto voice commanded. Mercer opened the door and ushered Miller in.  
  
Donovan walked into a spare office. It was functional, not decorated or elaborate. It was furnished with a large wooden desk 2 orange cushioned chairs, a slime green filing cabinet, and a floor to ceiling bookcase with filled with manuals and reference books. Behind that desk was Valinda Kilmann. She finished signing the document she was working on, put her pen down and stood up.  
  
"Hello, Sgt Miller, so far you've passed the departments written, physical, psychological, and oral exams. Now we see if you can pass my tests; if you pass my tests then my men and I will vote to see if they can work with you." She turned her head toward Mercer, " Pup, get Miller some gear and meet me at the CQB house. You're about to get a crash course in how I train my guys, you game Sgt.?"  
  
"I 'm game Capt. I'm game." This was going to be interesting Thought Donovan.  
  
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	4. Alex's Audition

Audition (Alex)  
  
Alex walked into the Major Crimes Bullpen her ID badge tapping her chest as she walked. Donovan thought the only way these hits could go down was if there was a contact in the detective branch or the federal office. She was about to be introduced to the mark and suspected leak, Leon Weller, his old partner had just retired. Ol' Leon had been involved with all the witnesses in one way or another. She thought as she weaved her way through the forest of desks and chairs, overworked detectives and lowest forms of life they were processing or questioning. Occasionally someone's wife, brother or, sister, or father, was seated filing a report of one kind or another; a burglary, a car jacking, a missing person. She came to the Captain's door a wood and frosted glass affair, she tapped the glass three times in quick succession.  
  
"Come in!" a gruff voice practically growled.  
  
Alex opened the door and stepped up to the plate, time to go to work.  
  
"Detective Welkes sir," she said assuming her persona.  
  
As she came through the door she knew she was being measured, behind the battered wood and metal desk, sat a fortyish man with salt and pepper hair, in a white button down shirt, with the ugliest yellow tie she had ever seen, it was stained with a myriad of food condiments and coffee.  
  
"Captain Ramsey?"  
  
"Detective Welkes, I've been expecting you." He said beckoning her in to the office.  
  
" I was told to report to you for my assignment." She said taking a seat in one of the slime green vinyl chairs in front of his desk.  
  
" Yes, lucky for you I just got an opening last week. You'll be working with Detective Weller." The captain rose up from behind his desk, and walked to his door, it shrieked a he opened it violently.  
  
" Weller, get in here." He commanded to an invisible detective.  
  
"Yes, sir." a high-pitched disembodied voice answered.  
  
Alex followed the Captain back to his desk with her eyes. She turned as Weller entered the office, he was five eight, balding and just beginning to run to fat, he looked for all intents and purposes like a weasel or at least his presence projected that image in her mind. Pretending to like this man was going to be a challenge, she hoped he had at least one redeeming quality.  
  
"Weller this Veronica Welkes, she is going to be your new partner." The Captain told Weller with no doubt that this was an order, not a request. He said looking at Weller.  
  
" I'm assigning you to the Graham case, I want to make a showing on this case so the feds don't to cocky, this is still my jurisdiction. Weller will show you how things get done around here, any questions?" he said turning his gaze to Alex.  
  
" The Graham Case?" Alex queried.  
  
The captain pulled a manila file folder out of his desk and tossed it to her. It landed in her hands with an audible thwack.  
  
" Now get to work." The captain commanded and then turned back to his paperwork, a clear dismissal.  
  
The two detectives filed out the gruff captain's office quietly and efficiently.  
  
Weller led Alex through the maze of desks to his pair of desks sitting facing each other, they were cheap aluminum affairs one was completely bare waiting for an occupant.  
  
"I guess that one's yours now, he said pointing to the bare desk. Why don't you and me go get something to eat, it `s lunch and I didn't eat breakfast, we can get to know each other a little better, since we're going to working together."  
  
Alex paused and thought about it, she agreed because she was a bit peckish, and Monica had already told her this guy had serious weakness for food.  
  
"Sure why not."  
  
The two detectives headed out for food at a local Café with excellent cuisine.  
  
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	5. Frank's Audtion Pt 2

Frank's audition PT 2  
  
Donovan came out of the CQB building a second after Kilmann did followed closely by Mercer. She was very, very good the rest of the team showed little earmarks of her SEAL training. Good for the goose and all that. He secured his weapons and started to walk out the cramp that was developing in his left leg, after running up and down 6 floors of stairs. Just getting this structure built for training showed that Kilmann was resourceful and politic. He started suddenly as Kilmann came out of nowhere and swatted him on the back. He knew she had done just to throw him off balance.  
  
" You' re pretty good Miller, your timing and targeting are top notch, you take orders pretty good too. Why don't go work that cramp out of your leg, and chill out, and we'll see you here tomorrow morning to see if you made the team." She said pointing to his left leg.  
  
She was very observant too, but he expected no less from somebody with her record. " All right, I'll see you tomorrow then, and your not so bad yourself." He replied walking away.  
  
Mercer caught up with him half way to the armory.  
  
" Hey man, you did good. I have never seen anybody go through that building as fast as you did, or take down a target so fast except for Cap., but we pretty much expect stuff like that from her. Your were damn close to her time to man, damn close." I know I'm not supposed to say anything, but you got my vote, man. With you around maybe she'll lay off us for a bit."  
  
"It's good to know", Thanks Donovan said.  
  
" Hey after you clean up why don't you and me go get a beer?" Mercer offered  
  
" Sure why not." Donovan answered, he figured he could pump Mercer for more insight into Kilmann and the others.  
  
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	6. Sit-Rep

SIT-REP  
  
Donovan walked into the nest a few hours after his audition. Mercer `s little bonding expedition had been fruitful. He had found out Kilmann was trying to get Mercer to join Navy and become a SEAL; if she had a problem with the navy it wasn't with the SEALs.  
  
"How'd it go boss?" Jake asked sitting in briefing area with Cody and Monica.  
  
" Tiring, Kilmann is very good and exceeding devious. He stopped as Alex came in.  
  
" How did it go with Weller?" He asked.  
  
" Oh, just great, he eats like a pig, it may take a littler longer to get him to open up like we need him to, or may be not she turned her head to the side as she though about it. The Captain gave us the Graham case." She said handing the case file to Monica.  
  
"Monica, Cody find out what you can on Graham and how he may be connected to this." Donovan said immediately.  
  
"Sure no problem," Monica replied taking the file from Alex.  
  
" I should know sometime tomorrow if I made the team." Donovan said  
  
"You mean if they bought your act." Jake said a bit of a challenge in his voice, he really hated being on the sidelines.  
  
Donovan looked at crushing any more challenging comments from him.  
  
"Oh, and by the way, I dug up some more on Kilmann, she was adopted at the age of twelve b Janice and Marcus Kilmann, and lo and behold she really hates drug dealers, I mean really hates them. I got past a little firewall in the city's IAD database and found a complaint for harassment from a minor level dealer named Johnny Sanchez. It was from a short stint she did as a vice cop before transferring full time to SWAT. He said she broke into his house in the middle of the night and put a knife to his throat." He said reading from his computer screen, and taking the case file from Monica.  
  
" Was there any action taken against Kilmann?" Donovan asked.  
  
"No apparently it couldn't be proved. She had an airtight alibi; she had three people who swore she was with them when this happened, all three were former members of her SEAL team by the way. To really make things interesting there was no physical evidence anybody but Sanchez was in house except for the cut on his throat. Sanchez was not forthcoming with any information or motive as to why then detective Kilmann would want him dead; besides the fact he's a low life drug dealer. The investigation was dropped after Sanchez died in a gun battle with his nearest competitor. Convenient Huh?"Cody said in typical Cody style and posture.  
  
"As I said before very good and very devious." Donovan said walking up to his office.  
  
He had paperwork and phone calls to make regarding the SWAT/HRT team he wanted to form, he also had a little more to consider about Valinda Kilmann. He had no doubt that it was indeed she, that Sanchez saw standing over him. Donovan hoped he would never have to awaken to see her standing over him after this case. He shook his head silently as he climbed the stairs. 


	7. Conversations with Bad Men

Conversations with Bad men  
  
Vernon Graham squinted in the dark he hated late night meetings, it was cold and damp, he hated cold and damp, made his bones ache. The man he was meeting was late and had added an unfortunate wrinkle to their operation, the purpose of this meeting by moonlight, in a cold damp waterfront warehouse, was the solution of said wrinkle. Graham jumped a little as heard a car door slam suddenly in the darkness, he must be losing his edge, he thought. He had not heard the car roll up.  
  
"Vernon, I'm sorry I'm late I got held up at the precinct."  
  
"Mr. Graham, you weasel. Graham barked at Leon Weller, don't make presumptions you're not entitled to. You are a glorified lackey."  
  
" Mr. Graham, Sorry sir." Weller replied nervously.  
  
" What is going on Weller?"  
  
" I've just been assigned a new partner, Veronica Welkes. I need to know what to do about her." Weller answered obediently.  
  
" Don't worry about Ms.Welkes, she is not going to be a problem, she has a rather colorful history with the San Diego P.D. Has a bit of a temper it seems, beat a suspect within an inch of his life a couple of times. She may have even murdered a suspect in cold blood, I'm having that checked on as we speak." Graham filled in Weller on his new partner who was worse than he was. So far Weller had never personally killed anybody.  
  
" How do you know all this I just met her today , I didn't even know she was coming." Weller asked incredulous over the amount of information Graham had already.  
  
" You are not the only cop on my payroll Mr. Weller." Vernon said dismissively, rubbing his hands together to warm them up. " If Ms. Welkes did indeed kill a suspect then got away from it I don't see a problem getting her to join our little endeavor. Here, he said handing him a letter envelope thick with cash. Now get out of my sight."  
  
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	8. Cast Your Ballots

Cast Your Ballots  
  
The next morning the sun was high and bright as Valinda strode into the main training complex, a large warehouse like structure with several mockups complete with home, office, and even school furniture. She saw her team sitting lackluster at the square table in he Main meeting and planning area. Mercer was looking extremely lackluster after spending the evening knocking back beers with Miller. The purpose of this little meeting was to decide of Miller made the team.  
  
"Okay guys it's time to cast your ballots. Is Miller in or out?" she said passing out the ballot sheets ad pens.  
  
There was a small discussion among the others on his strengths and weaknesses and just general complaining about having to vote on a new member of the team. This went on for about thirty minutes before Valinda put a stop to it.  
  
" Okay guys Vote now." She ordered.  
  
They slumped over there ballots like ninth graders voting on class sweet heart for the first time. After the last pen was set down and the ballots thrust toward the middle of the table, Valinda collected them and counted yeah, and nays. There were no Nays.  
  
" Okay its unanimous he's in. Mercer since you get along so well with him you get to make the call." Valinda told him as she was dumping the discarded ballots in a nearby trashcan. I have to call the Brass and tell them the position has been filled."  
  
In his office Donovan's cell phone rang , he answered it on the second ring.  
  
"Hey Miller, welcome to the team. It's official now, so get down here we got work to do." Mercer told him excitedly then hung up.  
  
Donovan stood up from his desk and started down the stairs.  
  
"Mercer just called, I'm in."  
  
" See I told you, you were a shoe in." Cody cracked from his station.  
  
"Thanks, ever so much for your support. Donovan cracked right back. Reminding Cody he could hold his own against his rather sarcastic wit.  
  
As Donovan walked out of the nest , he knew he was in for a torturous training session with Kilmann.  
  
____________________________________________________________________ 


	9. CQB (close quarters Battle)

1 CQB  
  
  
  
Valinda looked up from the floor plans she was studying, when Miller ghosted into the room. She hadn't heard him so much as felt him enter the room.  
  
"You made the team. Now, we see if you can keep up.", She said jovially as she rolled up the plans, showing no sign of being startled. Instead, she eyed him wit new respect.  
  
She turned her head toward the entrance as Miller took a seat while, the rest of the team ambled in.  
  
"Come on boys, step it up; we have work to do.", She said as they sat down. They took their places quickly and without fuss, it was now time to get down to business.  
  
"Today, we are going to mount an assault on a residence. Intel informs me; there are five hostiles with two hostages; an adult male and female. Here are the most recent plans of the home.", She informed them, unrolling the plans on the table before them.  
  
"We're going to use a blitz attack with two teams; one front, one back. Team  
  
One: Mercer, Cutler and Kincaid; you will take the back. Team Two will consist on  
  
Miller and Myself." She said locking eyes with each team member as she called their  
  
names. "Butler, Villarreal, you will take up sniper positions accordingly.", She said  
  
marking their positions on the plans. They nodded in assent. "As always the safety of the hostages in paramount, you are not under any circumstances, to harm the hostages.", She ordered, dire consequences hanging in the air.  
  
"Any questions?," She asked pushing her chair back.  
  
Everybody shook their heads in response; they knew it was a rhetorical question anyway.  
  
"Good, then let's roll.", She said rolling up the plans and tapping them against the table edge.  
  
The team moved out to the location; a large two-story house constructed inside a warehouse. The house, constructed with plywood walls and gravel and cement insulation, had no roof. Instead, it had a catwalk running six feet above the top floor. The front yard consisted of plastic green grass and fake trees. The entire scene lit by huge Halogen spotlights, simulating broad daylight.  
  
They broke into their designated teams, and made their approaches. Team One used a tree, on the left, to cover their approach, to the side of the house. When they reached the back door Cutler and Kincaid moved quickly to either side. Mercer hung back to the left of Cutler. Cutler, meanwhile, turned the knob but found it was locked. He motioned to Mercer to open it. Mercer pulled the Twelve-gauge off his back and shot the lock out with a Shok Lok round.  
  
They entered quickly and silently, as they realized they had lost the element of surprise. Having entered into the kitchen, there was a bad guy standing in front of the refrigerator, drinking milk out of a carton. As he went for his weapon, the carton fell from his hand. Kincaid tackled him to the floor, before he could fully draw his weapon, and cuffed him. The other two stashed him in a closet to keep him out of the way.  
  
In front, as soon as she heard the shotgun go off, Valinda and Miller battered down the front door. They ghosted into the living room, searching for any target that might prove hostile. They both signaled the all clear and moved silently to the main hallway where they regrouped with Team One. Mercer signaled one hostile neutralized to which she signaled a thumbs up and continued on. The Hallway split into a staircase and two rooms further along. Kilmann and Miller cleared the two lower rooms while, Team One went up the stairs quietly, and cleared the upper landing. They regrouped upstairs, then paired off: Cutler and Kincaid, Valinda and Miller. Mercer stayed at the stairs to prevent the bad guys from escaping. They cleared two more rooms along the banister. In the first room, three cardboard targets popped up. Miller and Valinda each took out an armed target; the third was the male hostage.  
  
They moved noiselessly to the final room; the master bedroom. Valinda kicked the locked door open then she and Kincaid threw a flash bang in. Miller entered followed by Valinda, Cutler and Kincaid.  
  
"Get down . . . now!," Valinda commanded, brandishing her weapon.  
  
The target had the female hostage in his grasp, a gun to her head. Fear screaming in her eyes she whimpered as the weapon was pressed harder into her flesh.  
  
"Back off or she's dead!," the bad guy screamed at them.  
  
Valinda's attention was drawn to a second bad guy by a door leading to the master bath.  
  
"Freeze!" She ordered drawing a modified handgun from her thigh holster.  
  
He kept moving, disregarding her command, so she shot him. A painful thwack was heard as the paintball impacted with his ankle. Dropping his gun, he fell screaming to the floor, holding his injured foot. She then turned her attention back to Bad guy one and his hostage.  
  
"Release the hostage, and you walk out of here. Don't release her, you get carried out in a body bag." She announced plainly and evenly. Cutler and Kincaid flanked the target just out of his line of sight during Valinda's exchange with Bad guy number two. They grabbed Bad guy number subdued him and cuffed him. After which a buzzer sounded.  
  
"Time!" a disembodied voice called out from above.  
  
" Elapsed?" Valinda called out looking up.  
  
" Eight minutes, thirty seconds, not you best time Kilmann." The man responded reading a stopwatch.  
  
" That time was disgraceful, you accomplished the mission but, I know you can do better. We are going to keep doing this until that time comes down, or I get tired of it." Valinda told her crew ignoring the protests and whines of fatigue.  
  
Valinda and the tech team reset the house, the actors and added in some new variables. Valinda and her team went thru the exercise several more times before the time came down to an acceptable number. By the time the last exercise was completed everyone had suffered a few paintball bruises. Now they all wanted an ice-cold beer, to go with the ice on their bruises. So they took off for a local bar called CHUMP CHANGE. An old pal of Valinda's owned it. They spent a good portion of the evening there before going their separate ways.  
  
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	10. IN Like Flint

1 In Like Flint  
  
  
  
Donovan walked quietly into the nest, his muscles screaming in protest at each step.  
  
"How are you this morning?" Monica asked snickering a bit; she had seen the deliberate way he had come in.  
  
He glared at her; she quit snickering. " Jake is back from his meeting with Graham's men in San Diego." She offered as a peace offering.  
  
" How did it go?" Donovan asked pulling up a chair.  
  
" Went just peachy, I got a new bruise and jet lag." Jake chimed in sarcastically, coming out of the crib.  
  
"Good." Was all the reply he got out of Donovan.  
  
" Well now that Graham thinks Alex is a cold blooded killer, she should be in like Flint." Monica said looking at Jake and Donovan.  
  
"Hey, look who's still alive, wow, ya know I'm amazed." Cody said walking into the nest, speaking to Donovan.  
  
"What does surveillance look like?" Donovan asked, his voice cutting off any more comments from Cody.  
  
" Weller, had a late night meeting with Graham again. Money changed hands, and it looks like they took the bait judging from the looks of Jake. Alex is in. Kincaid got a phone call from Weller, but nothing conclusive was said, it was probably some kind of code." Cody said taking his seat in front of his computer.  
  
" Where is Alex now?" Donovan asked.  
  
" She and Weller are tracking down a lower level player in Graham's operation, named Ronald Bacche but, apparently he's a ghost no one can find him."  
  
Donovan turned to Jake who was sitting on the briefing table his arms crossed over his chest. " Jake hit the street, see if you can find Bacche , I may want to have a few words with him." Donovan ordered.  
  
"Sure no problem, anything's better than doing nothing." Jake replied grabbing his coat and heading for the door.  
  
" I'll be back at the training center." Donovan told his team, as he walked carefully out the door.  
  
" Don't let her kill you now." Cody called to his retreating back.  
  
" Cody, Shut up." Monica told him swatting him with a file.  
  
" What she's a scary woman, she could kill him with her training sessions, and then where would we be? Answer me that." Cody said with mock severity , turning to his computer screen.  
  
Monica just shook her head and rolled her eyes at his back .  
  
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	11. The Trouble With Drug Dealers

1 The Trouble With Drug Dealers  
  
  
  
Miller and the team were in the armory cleaning and preparing gear, when Valinda came in.  
  
"Suit up boys we got a job to do. Meet me in the planning room in ten minutes." She ordered grabbing her gear off the rack, and striding out the door.  
  
When the rest of the team got to the planning room Kilmann was already pouring over maps and building plans.  
  
"Gather round." She beckoned as she heard them come stomping in. "This is Ronald Bacche." She said flipping an eight by ten surveillance photo on to the table. The photo showed an Asian man in his early thirty's with short hair and mongoloid features, and light skin. "Bacche is half Chinese and Italian." She added as they all got a good look at the picture.  
  
" So what's he got to do with us?" Mercer asked  
  
" Our favorite detectives Weller and Welkes managed to convince a judge they had enough for an arrest warrant but, since Bacche is a paranoiac and heavily armed we are going to help serve it."  
  
" What do you mean help?" Kincaid questioned a suspicious tone in his voice.  
  
" Bacche also has a federal warrant on him, they want to turn for state's evidence against a bigger fish, but we only want him for drug dealing and murder. We made a deal with the feds we get to go in and get him." She said looking pointedly at Kincaid. " Now here is what I want ready to go in 15 minutes. I want to roll out her 10 minutes after that." She ordered, handing the list to Mercer and Miller. Twenty-five minutes later Valinda and her team rolled out of the training center, fully loaded and prepared for anything.  
  
As they came onto the site, the sight of what looked like a million Federal agents and Federal SWAT ops took them aback; all crawling about like ants.  
  
" Oh, lovely, there goes our surprise party." Kincaid said sarcastically, gesturing towards the feds.  
  
" What is it with these guys, they never heard of stealth, or sneak attack." Mercer muttered in agreement.  
  
When they rolled to a stop in front of the mobile command center, they evacuated the vehicle quickly and efficiently.  
  
" Are your people ready to go?" the SAC asked walking up to Valinda, as they entered the command module. The Module was small and cramped filled with computer surveillance equipment and a small round table with a map of the grounds and house on it.  
  
The house itself was a Mediterranean-style villa with marble and stone columns and a lot of decorative doors, and courtyards. It also had a large front garden affording a lot of foliage to hide in and behind. This is going to be fun Valinda thought taking in the magnificent view of the house and surrounding countryside.  
  
" We're ready, deploy your people to the east side of the house, were going in thru the front and servant's quarters here and here, she said pointing to a map of the grounds and house. You know of course he's already fortified and waiting for us right." She stated as a matter of fact to the SAC.  
  
Valinda finalized the assault plans and team assignments. She, Miller, and Butler made up Team One, Mercer, Kincaid and Cutler made up Team Two. Villarreal set up a sniper sight where he could see almost everything.  
  
Team One made their approach to the front entrance quickly and stealthily. However as they made their approach, they caught a volley of gunfire, Valinda heard a single shot ring out, and then silence as the sniper was sniped.  
  
" Target, down." Villarreal said over his comm.  
  
" Copy that." Kilmann replied continuing her approach.  
  
She glided over a stone tile courtyard with Miller and Butler flanking her to a massive stone door. " We're going to have to blow this monster to get in." she said to her companions.  
  
Miller planted small shaped charges on the huge hinges, using Butler as a human ladder to reach the top ones. Valinda signaled them to hold detonation. She was waiting for the diversion.  
  
" Go!" she ordered, slipping behind a stone column as she heard a cacophony of gunshots and hoarse cries on the east side of the house; as the feds created a diversion. There was a loud popping sound and shower of metal and stone as the hinges were blown off the door. Then there was a horrendous groaning and scraping sound as the door collapsed under it's own tremendous weight. The three of them leaped over the debris and entered the house.  
  
They entered the main foyer and living area, the floor was marble and the space was huge and done all in white. Suddenly gunfire erupted around them, bullets bounced off the stone columns and dug grooves into the marble tile at their feet. They wasted no time acquiring targets and firing, taking out five bad guys armed with Uzis.  
  
Team Two on the other hand was having a problem; they were pinned down by sniper fire.  
  
"Villarreal!" Mercer shouted into his mike calling the sniper.  
  
" Right here." Villarreal said, taking aim at the sniper, he breathed deep, and fired on his exhale. There was silence as the gunfire ceased. "Bad guy down." He said quietly.  
  
" All right move out!" Kincaid ordered continuing on.  
  
" Valinda's going to be pissed if we miss the rendezvous point." Mercer, said following after him to the now undefended entry point.  
  
Kincaid kicked open the decorative door leading to the servant's quarters.  
  
Cutler and Mercer entered first weapons at the ready. They moved quietly and quickly clearing each room as they came upon it. Most of the rooms were empty, occasionally they came upon a terrified maid or houseboy hiding in a closet or corner, they shooed them out of the house; Kincaid keeping an eye out, should they decide to come back.  
  
They finally made it through the servant's quarters to the main kitchen. It was empty, so they continued on the main dining room where they regrouped with Team One.  
  
As one they moved to the large staircase leading to the second level of the house. When they started up the stone steps a guard with an uzi greeted them. Miller, who was in the lead, shot him once in the chest. They moved silently past the dead guards body, as the staircase opened on the second floor, they found themselves in a round foyer with four doorways.  
  
They already knew the doors to the far right lead to a bathroom and storage closet. Kincaid and Cutler cleared those rooms first they were empty. When they regrouped, the team paired off again into the original teams. Each team took one of the remaining doors. Kincaid's door lead down a hallway at the end of which was the palatial master bedroom.  
  
With Cutler behind him and Mercer bringing up the rear, they proceeded quietly down the hall. Kincaid signaled Cutler by tapping on his leg twice. Then he switched his TAC frequency.  
  
"Bacche is supposed to be in the master bedroom, how do you want to play this with Hopalong behind us?" Cutler whispered.  
  
" Don't worry I got it covered. Switch back now." He whispered switching to his original TAC frequency.  
  
" Hey, Mercer hang back a bit , keep an eye out behind us." He ordered quickly, as they approached the bedroom door.  
  
" Roger that." Mercer answered back, turning his back on them.  
  
He heard his commset crackle again as the TAC frequency was changed. He then heard someone running toward him from the entrance, he raised his weapon and waited the split second for the target to come into view. The target was a young woman armed with a pistol, she screamed at him as he came into her line of sight. He opened fire and hit her once in the chest and once in the shoulder, she dropped to the floor moaning in pain.  
  
"Kincaid, I've got a suspect down, I'm going to verify." He said quickly, starting toward the injured woman." Kincaid." He said again louder, when he didn't get a reply. All he was getting was silence.  
  
By that time, Cutler and Kincaid had already made entry into the Master bedroom. There were gunshots and yelling that stopped abruptly.  
  
" Mercer what's happening?" Valinda said demanding a response. She signaled Miller and Butler to stop as she waited for a response.  
  
" I've got a wounded hostile to secure and I can't raise Kincaid or Cutler." Mercer answered back sounding tinny in her ears.  
  
"Where are they?" Valinda questioned, starting to move quickly back the way she had come.  
  
"They just went into the master bedroom."  
  
" You're alone!" She hissed in anger. " Secure the hostile, we're coming." She ordered, starting to run with Miller and Butler close behind her.  
  
Mercer quickly cuffed the woman and kicked her gun out of reach. Then he started to move to the master bedroom. He was stopped suddenly and jerked nearly off his feet.  
  
" Heel, boy! Where do you think your going?" Valinda asked righting him.  
  
"Trouble in the master bedroom." He answered with a look of DUH on his face.  
  
She looked at him like he was stupid. She motioned for him to fall in with the others. They all started down the hallway to the master bedroom, expecting the worst.  
  
When they reached the room Valinda kicked open the door and entered with her weapon drawn. Miller followed suit with the others behind him. They found themselves weapon to weapon with Cutler and Kincaid.  
  
"Jesus, boss!" Kincaid swore with recognition.  
  
"What happened here?" she asked pointing to Bacche's dead body, a drop of blood oozing out of the hole in his head.  
  
" He opened fire on us, and I was a better shot." Kincaid stated holstering his weapon. " I had no choice."  
  
" What's done is done. Mercer get the feds in here, explain the situation. I'll talk to you three later. Everybody clear the room!" she ordered following Mercer out.  
  
They all did as they were told. " Be prepared, now the shit is going to hit the fan." She said a trace of anger leaking into her voice.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
  
  
h 


	12. Aftermath

1 Aftermath  
  
  
  
Valinda sat quietly in the shadows, in front of the desk, listening and watching the SAC rant and rave. She put a hand to the side of her face framing her cheek with her fingers and looked at him as he towered over her trying to intimidate her. She rose silently from her chair, and watched as he jumped back as she just appeared in his face.  
  
They were nose-to-nose, so close she could kiss him or kill him.  
  
" Enough." She rumbled he was instantly silenced. "The shooting was justified, your own ballistics personnel proved it. Now I don't care if you're having a bad day because of this. The only thing I care about is the fact that you and yours fucked up.  
  
You allowed him time to arm and fortify himself." With that she turned on her foot and walked out of the drab, and claustrophobic federal office.  
  
It was time to clean her own house now, she thought as she entered the training center. Kincaid was already waiting for her in her office.  
  
"Hey boss! You wanted to see me?" he asked turning around as she came in the door.  
  
"Sit down!" she ordered ice in her voice.  
  
He sat a look of protest on his face.  
  
" I want to know why the hell you left Mercer alone in that hall, and why no one could raise you on your radio for over a minute!?" she said taking her seat behind her desk, her voice forced but not loud.  
  
"Mercer is a big boy he can take care of himself." Kincaid stated petulantly.  
  
Valinda stood up and leaned over the desk so she was in his face. " That is not he point, you do not leave your team mates out on a limb. Not if you want to stay a member of this squad!" She told him her tone more forceful, the threat obvious. " I. A. ruled the shooting clean, that you made us look bad is secondary, but if you ever leave a team mate again, or go off comm., I will personally kick your ass from here to next Sunday, before I kick you off the team, am I making myself clear!" It was not a question.  
  
"Yes, Captain." Kincaid said meekly.  
  
" Now get out and take Cutler with you when you leave your both suspended for a week."  
  
"Captain!" Kincaid started  
  
" Get out Kincaid, what about that do you not understand?" She ordered flipping a file open.  
  
Valinda hit a button on an intercom on her desk. "Mercer! Report!" she called, the order reverberating through out the complex. There was a hesitant knock on her door five minutes later.  
  
"Come in!" she said looking up from the file as the door opened.  
  
" You called Captain." He said jovially trying to lighten the load of negativity in the room. She was mad and you could feel it.  
  
" Sit down Mercer you and I need to have a come to Jesus meeting."  
  
He knew what this was about and he was prepared to take his medicine, he knew nothing was more important to his commanding officer than the integrity of the team. That integrity had been challenged by the incident at Bacche's.  
  
" You know better than to go into a room with an armed suspect alone." She scolded. " I'm suspending you for a week, all three of you. You guys seem to need time consider how badly you want remain a member of this team. She said looking him in the eye.  
  
" You're Captain it was a stupid thing for me to have done and it won't happen again." He swore to himself and her.  
  
"Did Kincaid ever say why he switched his comm frequency?" Kilmann asked him.  
  
"No."  
  
" All right, get out of here I have work to do, and think about what I said." She admonished him.  
  
Mercer ran into Miller as he was leaving the complex.  
  
" What's going on?" Miller asked  
  
" Oh nothing much I just got suspended for a week though." Mercer answered dejectedly.  
  
"Just you?"  
  
"No, Kincaid and Cutler too. Cap is not at all pleased with us."  
  
"Well that explains that." Miller said cryptically.  
  
"Explains what?" Mercer asked quizzically.  
  
" Kincaid and Cutler they just sped out of here like a bat out of hell. They looked pretty pissed."  
  
"We all got we deserved, the only thing I want now is to know why those two switched their Comm frequency and cold beer." He told Miller.  
  
" I've got to go see the Captain, I 'd better go before she decides to put my head on a platter." Miller told him starting toward her office.  
  
" Hope you have better luck than I do." Mercer told him as he swatted him on the back as he started off.  
  
Miller knocked on Kilmann's door. He heard her talking on the phone but couldn't make out what she was saying.  
  
" Just a minute!" she called out.  
  
Miller heard the phone click as it was hung up.  
  
"Come in!" she said a second later.  
  
" You wanted to see me Captain?" he asked standing just inside the door.  
  
" Valinda looked up from her paperwork. " Yes, I want you to take a few days off; in fact I 'm putting the rest of us in for R with three out for disciplinary action and another out for personal reasons. I figure now would be a good time for a little vacation."  
  
" I see." He answered flatly.  
  
She looked at him, but said nothing.  
  
" I wanted to talk to you about the Bacche incident." he said  
  
" There is nothing more to talk about, a suspect is dead and my team has been disciplined. It was a bad day. Do you wish to reconsider your involvement with this unit?" she asked. Looking pointedly at him.  
  
" No, I don't" he answered.  
  
Valinda went back to her paperwork. "Your dismissed Miller. Go relax for while." She replied it was clear she wanted him to drop it.  
  
Miller left the office, he didn't argue with her decision it was her team after all. He thought as he was leaving the complex. Now at least he had a clear Idea of who all the bad guys were in this.  
  
_____________________________________________________________________ 


	13. Making Blind Eyes See

1 Making blind eyes see  
  
Valinda sat on her couch with a pile of paperwork in front of her. It had been three days since she had formally suspended Mercer, Kincaid and Cutler. The paperwork consisted of after action reports and ballistic analysis from past shootings involving Cutler or Kincaid. The reports were painting a grim picture and her gut was reinforcing it. Mercer had come to her after the Bacche debacle and told her his suspicions about Cutler and Kincaid. He thought the two had purposely switched their comm. frequencies. God she really did hate where this was leading but she could no longer turn a blind eye. She would know for sure soon if Kincaid and Cutler were dirty, and if they were, who else was in on it. She thought looking down at the paperwork in front of her. She had put the rest of the team on R&R. She needed the break after that fiasco and it wouldn't hurt the others either.  
  
She looked up sharply and reached for her gun as the elevator to her loft was coming noisily up the shaft. Her hand pulled away from the weapon and back to flipping the files as she saw who was coming in.  
  
" Max does it occur to you that you're going to come in like that and I'm going to shoot you?" she asked the short stocky man who walked out from under the safety gate and into her loft.  
  
" No, because I'm your buddy and you'd never shoot me. Besides then who would you bitch too." He stated as a matter of fact, walking toward her. " Burning the midnight oil or what?" he said pointing to the mountain of paperwork in front of her as he took a seat in the chair across from her.  
  
" Sort of more like finding the pieces to a puzzle I'd rather not solve." She answered leaning back into the couch and sighing heavily.  
  
"Spill Kilmann, maybe I can help." He told her in his best buddy mode.  
  
" I don't think you can help this time Max but if you don't mind me bending your ear?" she said hesitantly.  
  
"Kilmann, whatever you need I'm here count on it." He said reassuring her.  
  
"Okay, you asked for it. I think two or more of my SWAT team are contracting hits and hiding them as self defense shootings." She said quickly in a smart aleck tone, rubbing her knuckles together.  
  
"Sounds like you got a problem that whole history repeating itself thing." He replied  
  
" I don't need you to remind me of that, thank you very much." She said sharply.  
  
He threw his hands up in defense. She backed off this was still a touchy subject for them both.  
  
"Yes it does, I'll know for sure in a little while, and then I'll decide what to do about it." She said giving into the truth that was just about to hit her in the head with a two by four to make her see it. 


	14. Problems with white hats

1 Problems with white hats  
  
  
  
Kincaid took another swig of his beer as he mulled over the problem at hand. Mercer knew he had switched his Comm. Frequency. He himself knew Mercer had run to Kilmann with that little bit of information. Something would have to be done about Mercer and Kilmann. The Bitch was dangerous but he didn't know how much she had put together yet. He certainly didn't want to risk his neck by taking her on if he didn't have to. Mercer on the other hand could be "fixed" easily.  
  
Graham paid him well to get rid of his competition and those that betrayed him. He didn't have much use for tattle tales himself, so he didn't mind doing the work. Besides he really wanted that boat, a beautiful forty footer. Just him and the ocean that'd be the day, he thought playing with the beer bottle, his mind lost in the alcohol-enhanced daydream. Cutler suddenly brought him out of his reverie; he was getting to be more and more of a liability of late.  
  
" Jack, what do you think we should do about Mercer, you know he told HER about the comms?" he asked in a irritating whine.  
  
" Stop whining Marcus, nothing we don't do anything until we know for sure and we can get away clean, but if you keep on like you been doing, I'm not going to be able to save you. Just relax drink your beer. Get a woman for chrissakes!" Kincaid said angrily, smacking his hand down on the cheap wooden tabletop.  
  
" Jack?" Cutler whined at Kincaid's unexpected display of temper.  
  
" Shut up Marcus! Just leave Kilmann and Mercer to me." Kincaid slurred a little taking another sip of his now lukewarm beer. He turned his attention to the lovely blonde waitress, in a black leather mini-skirt and tight red top. She took his half finished beer and exchanged it for the ice-cold one on her tray.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________ 


	15. The Plot Thickens

1 The Plot Thickens  
  
  
  
Graham was really starting to dislike these clandestine meetings by moonlight but, they were proving more necessary of late; he thought pacing back and forth his footsteps echoing along the dock. He heard the sound of a car engine roll up and shut down. He waited impatiently for the sound of the occupant exiting.  
  
" Mr. Graham?" Leon Weller called hesitantly.  
  
" Yes, Weller, do hurry it up it's quite chilly out here." Graham answered scathingly.  
  
Graham heard a second door open and the distinct sound of heels on asphalt.  
  
" Is that Ms. Welkes I hear?" he inquired.  
  
" Yes, Mr. Graham it's me." Veronica Welkes answered as she pulled herself gracefully out of the car.  
  
" It's a pleasure to finally meet you detective our mutual acquaintance has told me so much about you." Graham said oozing charm. He gestured at Weller who had just stepped into the dirty yellow lamplight that encompassed them.  
  
" Good things I hope." Welkes drawled right back, extending her hand to him.  
  
" You two are the first arrive if you would be so kind as to be tad patient while our other colleagues arrive." Graham said ingratiatingly. " Ahh there they are now." He said as a second vehicle rolled up, a rather large SUV.  
  
" What's going on Graham?" Kincaid blustered as he climbed down from the driver's side.  
  
"A meeting Mr. Kincaid to discuss our problems." Graham said taking out a gold cigarette case and lighting up. The smoke danced in the dingy yellow light above his steel gray hair.  
  
"What problem exactly?" Kincaid said eyeing Weller and Welkes.  
  
" Would you kindly explain what happened at Bacche's you seem to have put yourself in a quite a jam Mr. Kincaid." Graham stated taking a drag on his cigarette.  
  
" Hey I did the job, Bacches dead like you asked, where's my money?" Kincaid asked stepping menacingly toward Graham.  
  
" Yes, you did but you got you and your little buddy Cutler suspended. You also probably tipped off one or more of your squad to your little side business." Graham said forcefully, exhaling smoke into Kincaid's face as he spoke. "These two tipped no one off to their extra- curricular activities." He continued gesturing to Weller and his partner.  
  
"What would you like me to do then Mr. Graham?" Kincaid asked belligerently.  
  
" I want you to arrange an accident or accidents for Ms. Kilmann and Mr. Mercer. Your suspension is obviously more than meets the eye. Graham told him in a conspiratorial tone.  
  
" What do you want us to do? Weller asked hesitantly, he didn't like where this was going killing a few scumbags was one things but now this was fellow cops.  
  
" Nothing at the moment just be ready when I need you." Graham said. "Here." He said reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out four letter envelopes. " For services rendered." He turned his head sharply as he heard a metal on metal clang then a curse ring out. " What was that? Kincaid go check it out!" he ordered tersely.  
  
Kincaid took off in a flat out run toward the sound. He disappeared in the forest of shipping containers surrounding the dock. Kincaid could hear his quarry not fifty feet from him and increasing the distance fast. Kincaid pored on the power all those damn laps with Kilmann were paying off. He slowed down a little as heard a curse carry across the air his prey was trapped. Sure enough he ran across his quarry, he had run into a dead end.  
  
" Freeze Pal, turn around slowly!" he ordered his weapon drawn. The man slowly turned around. " Mercer! My, my, it must be my lucky day!" Kincaid practically crowed at this new development.  
  
" Kincaid." Mercer said simply.  
  
"So did she sic ya on me?" Kincaid inquired his weapon still trained on Mercer.  
  
" Yes, she did. She knows everything." He lied thru his teeth  
  
" Well that's too bad, now she is definitely going to die." He said as he pulled the trigger.  
  
The sound of the gunshot reverberated off the massive metal containers. Mercer put his hand to his chest and stared at it dumbfounded as he saw it was covered with blood. He fell to his knees and hit the ground with a sickening thud.  
  
Kincaid put the gun back in his waistband to be disposed of later. He walked up to Mercer's body and searched it for recording devices. He found no obvious ones, just a pen in his back pocket. With that he turned on his heel and made his way back to Mr. Graham and the others.  
  
"Well?" Graham asked as Kincaid approached him.  
  
" Well one problem is taken care of." He answered.  
  
" What about the body?" Welkes asked playing with her necklace.  
  
" What about it I took his ID and wallet He'll be a John Doe for a little while, and by the time he is ID ed it won't matter." Kincaid sneered at her.  
  
The group disbanded quickly and went their separate ways.  
  
______________________________________________________________________ 


	16. Revelations

1 Revelations  
  
  
  
Jake watched unobtrusively as Kilmann signed for Mercer's effects at the nurse's station: a watch, bracelet and what looked like a marker. Donovan had set him on her tail after the team had brought Mercer in. Mercer was very lucky Alex had been at the meeting. Kilmann had finished signing the paper on the clipboard; handed it back to the plum duty nurse, then turned on her heel and stalked out of the hospital, with Jake not far behind.  
  
Valinda pushed open the cage to her loft she immediately made her way to the computer desk just off the kitchen. The desk was an old oak roll top. She took the key to the cover out of her pocket and opened the desk. She sat down in the high backed leather padded chair and pulled out the camera's docking station and software programs. The Marker was actually a camera. Mercer had bought several off an infomercial and had given her one for Christmas. Now she put his camera in the port and started the program.  
  
Three minutes and a reboot later she was watching a slide show starring Kincaid and her two Favorite detectives, she thought sarcastically. They were all gathered around an older man in a tailored three-piece suit and silver hair. It was the last slide that had her full attention though. It showed Kincaid grinning like a maniac coming toward the camera and Mercer.  
  
Valinda tapped the LCD screen with the penknife she had been twirling in her fingers as the program loaded. She slashed across Kincaid's throat with it, and then she rose out of her chair and headed toward the bedroom. She walked through the boundary Japanese rice paper screens and went to her knees beside the raised futon bed. Sunken into the floor beneath the bed was a three by five foot safe. She unlocked it pulled out her night camouflage and other gear. Kincaid was going to learn a lesson in fear tonight. She thought as she tested the gleaming blade with her thumb.  
  
________________________________________________________________________ 


	17. Night Crawling

1 Night Crawling  
  
  
  
Cody watching the monitor blinked a couple of times, then clicked his mouse a few more.  
  
"Uh, Sir, you might want to see this." He called out to Donovan while enlarging the image.  
  
"What is it Cody?" Donovan asked coming up behind the computer tech.  
  
" It's Kilmann . . . she's in Kincaid's apartment."  
  
Donovan focused his gaze on the monitor; indeed armed and in camouflage. She was heading toward Kincaid's bedroom, where they didn't have a damn camera. Donovan gripped the back of Cody's chair with his displeasure.  
  
Valinda moved silently down the short hallway. She glided thru the open doorway into the bedroom. Kincaid was sprawled on his back with the heavier bedcovers around his feet and the pillows at varying angles around him. She walked around the bed examining him like he was an insect under a microscope.  
  
She silently moved to the end of the bed, he suddenly snorted and jerked in his sleep. Valinda paused and took his new position into her calculations. She slowly edged toward the bed. She placed her hands lightly on either side of his legs, the bed giving way under her weight. She crawled slowly and silently over him, resisting the urge to break his knees as she passed them. He yawned and mumbled something in his sleep but did not move. When she was over his chest she sat heavily down on him immediately awakening him. She pinned his arms with her knees and pulled the knife out of her upper arm sheath and put it to his throat. She leaned down until they were face to face.  
  
" If you scream I'll cut your throat as soon as feel you inhale." She whispered in his ear, squeezing his chest with her calves.  
  
" What. Do. You. Want?" He gasped as she tightened her grip on his chest.  
  
He had heard rumors from the vice boys, She was going to kill him he knew it. Suddenly that boat and the money wasn't enough. He could feel the blade biting into his neck. He felt a trickle of blood running down his throat, where it nicked the skin.  
  
"I want to know who the silver hair with the three-piece suit is? I want the whole operation." She whispered fiercely in his ear.  
  
"If I tell you he'll kill me!" He gasped  
  
"I'm going to kill you the only question is now or later." She answered back sliding the blade across his throat.  
  
"All right, all right, I'll tell you." He gave in.  
  
"Good, now you're going to tell me why you killed Mercer and betrayed your TEAM." She hissed in fury digging the knife in further.  
  
" For the money, I risk my life for a shit paycheck and if I live a gold watch."  
  
" I guess that's an answer but it's not worth it now is it?" She said getting in his face again.  
  
She knocked him out with a quick precise blow to the head. She rolled herself off him and cuffed his hands, and then she found his pair of cuffs and cuffed him to his bedstead. She walked out of Kincaid's room, and proceeded to methodically tear his place a part. She found the money he had been taking taped under an end table. She pulled it out and left it out in plain sight on the cheap wood veneer coffee table. Then she did a little more damage; she was feeling kind of petty. She took a picture of her whole team off the wall as she passed by on her way out.  
  
  
  
"Well that was interesting." Cody said surveying the damage on his computer monitors. " What do we do now?"  
  
" Keep an eye on Alex and Weller, we don't know what Kincaid told her or even if he's alive now. I'm going to Kilmann's send Jake to Kincaid's." Donovan ordered walking out of the nest.  
  
______________________________________________________________________ 


	18. Donovan's Deal

1 Donovan's Deal  
  
  
  
Donovan opened the cage to Valinda's loft and walked in. The place was Spartan but comfortable. Large oversized couch and chairs and wide screen TV dominated the living area. The bedroom was marked out with rice paper screens; Cody had noted that Valinda preferred her couch to her bed. The Kitchen was a large industrial affair. Off to the side of that was a home office space. He settled down to wait for Kilmann in one of the large oversized chairs facing the elevator cage.  
  
Valinda turned the black light on over the carpet in front of the elevator. The dusting was disturbed, the light showed two distinct footprints that weren't there when she left. She pulled the forty-five out of the holster at her back, and went around the building to the side entrance. She saw a familiar head of hair in her chair. Valinda put the barrel of the gun against his head.  
  
The second she did the world went askew. She was flipped over the chair and on her back on the floor. As her assailant leaned down to inspect his handy work or inflict a final blow, she brought the gun that was strapped to her thigh up and held it in his face and cocked it.  
  
"Step back! Miller!" She ordered. " Tell me why I shouldn't shoot you anyway?"  
  
"Federal Agent Frank Donovan, It would go really badly for you." He answered unperturbed by the nine millimeter in his face.  
  
" You' re in my place remember?" she said rising up off the floor.  
  
"Yes, But I have good reason to be here and a warrant. Now you. How did you know I was here?" he queried raising an eyebrow.  
  
" Macgyver episodes, one of my vices." She answered as a matter fact.  
  
Donovan looked at her disbelieving.  
  
"What, it's true! A black light, a little luminescent dust on the rug before the elevator and boom instant intruder alert."  
  
"Clever, I'll remember that one. Tell me what you got out of Kincaid. We have video of you at his apartment." He told her before she could protest.  
  
" Do what you want with the video, I won't be blackmailed by you or anybody." She replied holstering her nine-millimeter and retrieving her forty-five from the floor.  
  
" I don't want to blackmail you, I want to help you. I need to know what Kincaid told you." He said appealingly, and then his cell phone rang.  
  
" Donovan, Yes, okay keep me posted." He said and flipped the phone shut. " That was one of my colleagues, we have Kincaid in custody as well and the. …Money you left in plain sight." He said with dawning comprehension. "How long have you known about the surveillance?"  
  
Valinda just grinned at him. Taking a seat on her couch. "Where's Mercer?" She asked.  
  
"He's safe, everybody else thinks he's dead, I take it you'll help not hinder me?" Donovan replied taking his seat again.  
  
"Yes, I'll help you as long as I get to be in on the bust. I owe these guys." She told him looking him straight in the eye.  
  
" All right then, here's what I think we should do. " He said moving over to the couch in a conspiratorial fashion.  
  
________________________________________________________________________ 


	19. Everybody's Busted

1 Everybody's busted  
  
The phone rang once sharply I before Cutler picked it up. Kincaid had not called him and now he was getting very nervous.  
  
" Hello!" he squeaked into the receiver.  
  
" Mr. Cutler, We have a problem your colleague Mr. Kincaid has been arrested, you are going to have to finish our arrangement. I assure I will not take no for an answer." Graham said his cultured voice brooking no argument.  
  
" The arrangement Mr. Graham?" Cutler questioned.  
  
"Ms. Kilmann, I want the problem dealt with."  
  
"Okay, Mr. Graham, I suppose the usual fee is in effect?"  
  
"Yes, Mr. Cutler," Graham answered in an exasperated tone and hung up.  
  
In Graham's home in his office he leaned back into the Italian leather chair and sighed. " Why do I put myself in these positions? Graham asked no one in particular.  
  
Cutler knew just where to do it. Kilmann would be at the track today at three it was her habit to run ten miles there everyday. Villarreal had been practicing with him on the sniper rifle. This would be easy he hoped.  
  
It was Twelve-thirty p.m., he didn't have a lot of time to get ready. He took the rifle out of his closet and loaded it in his SUV. He left in a hurry for the municipal track where Kilmann liked to run. There was a building on a hill just above the track. The building was a small concrete affair, probably an old maintenance shed.  
  
He grabbed the rifle and a blanket out of the SUV and climbed on to the roof. Once there he unrolled the blanket, tested the wind speed and direction. He positioned the rifle for the optimum shot. As three rolled around he readjusted his sights and scope waiting for Valinda to arrive.  
  
Valinda entered the park on time, she was wearing a gray sweatshirt with NAVY emblazoned across the chest and black wind pants. Cutler carefully took aim sighting her heart through the scope he followed her progress as she began to jog. He meticulously judged her position when the bullet would make impact as she moved.  
  
His palms were sweating; he took a deep breath and held it, then released it. He took another breath aimed and on his exhale he fired. He saw the blood erupt from her chest as the bullet hit its mark. Cutler saw the look on her face thru the scope, she was in total shock while she was falling he packed up his gear and made his way to the ground.  
  
He was putting the rifle away when he felt the gun in his neck.  
  
"Freeze Cutler, Federal Agent. Put the rifle down." Donovan ordered.  
  
" You're under arrest for Murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, receiving a bribe, and what ever else I can think of to charge you and buddy with." Donovan said, holstering his weapon and cuffing Cutler.  
  
Cutler did not resist Donovan, he was beaten and he knew he was not getting out of this one. He turned to see an SUV pull up and Kilmann climb out. She had a hand on her chest and a squib in the other. She walked up to him and threw the bloody thing at him. He was splashed with the fake blood; he would not meet her eyes.  
  
"If you want to end this with some shred of dignity you will tell them everything they want to know." She hissed at him.  
  
Valinda turned to Donovan as Jake was leading Cutler away rubbed her chest and grimaced in pain.  
  
"God I hate being shot in the chest even if it is fake, what's the plan now?" she asked.  
  
" Now we get Graham we have all the minor player's involved, courtesy Agent Cross. She took care of Weller earlier this morning.  
  
Valinda and Donovan were in Swat gear; Graham would probably go down hard, and they were taking no chances. They Entered the glassed in Graham Industries two by two: Valinda and Donovan, Jake and Alex. Donovan took the lead as they blew by the secretary's desk. She immediately stood up and tried to stop them.  
  
"You can't go in there! This is private property! Mr. Graham is in a meeting?" She growled at them angrily standing in front of Donovan barring their way.  
  
Donovan looked down at the tiny woman standing between him and Graham. She stepped back a few steps under the intense pressure of his gaze.  
  
"Federal Agent, This is a warrant of arrest for Vernon Graham. Now get out of my way." He said quietly leaning into her space. She gave way to the force of Nature Donovan seemed to be.  
  
They all started at the gunshot from Graham's office. Donovan and Valinda barreled into the wood paneled office. They stopped just inside the doorway. The wall and painting behind the massive oak desk was covered in blood and brain matter.  
  
"Damn! What a waste that was a beautiful Renoir; I hope that was a print." Valinda quipped a little smile on her face.  
  
Donovan and Valinda traded looks. Jake and Alex just stared at the both of them.  
  
_______________________________________________________________ I 


	20. The Beginning

1 The Beginning  
  
  
  
Two weeks later Valinda was working on the heavy bag on her roof, when she heard the crunch of footsteps on gravel. She looked up and was not surprised to see Donovan walking toward her.  
  
"What do you want?" She asked between punches.  
  
"I heard you were taking a leave of absence, I have a proposal for you." He said taking hold of the swinging bag.  
  
" Huh, you're not my type." She snorted at him.  
  
" A job offer." He clarified.  
  
" What kind of Job?"  
  
"I need someone with your skills and experience to run a team for me."  
  
" You've got a team." She retorted.  
  
" I have two undercover agents and what ever HRT is available. I want my own, and I think you are just the person the lead it." He answered back just as she let another punch fly.  
  
" I have conditions." She said punching.  
  
"What conditions?" he queried he knew he was going to regret asking.  
  
" I get to pick the team, you and me are equals, you run your people and I'll run mine. We can work out the rest later." She said taking a breather.  
  
" I do have a budget you know." He said looking sideways at her.  
  
" Then we'll just have to make it stretch then now won't you."  
  
" Okay, when can you start?" He asked.  
  
" In two weeks." She answered. "I'll see you then." She said clearly dismissing him.  
  
Donovan walked away a mildly happy man. This was going to very interesting.  
  
Finis for this story  
  
I want to thank my local library for all it's help in my research of SWAT teams and SEAL teams. –Thank you Jean. And my dad for all the character help and situational details.- Thanks Daddy. This story is finished and I hope you enjoy it so Read and Review and please e-mail me or tell me what I did wrong and Right.  
  
Erin Soto  
  
SLVR_TGR99  
  
4/2/02 


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